Burn Patterns
by RisingWinter
Summary: Sazh is enjoying an idyllic life on the Floating Continent and not saving the world again. That is, until a small mage appears on his doorsteps that's also had a taste of that dreaded thing known as "destiny" and things take a turn for the headache-iest. Sazh's side of Final Soulburst, contains major spoilers for Final Fantasy III and the XIII series.
1. Chapter 1

No adventure today. No dates with destiny, no run-ins with fate, and no journeys to other dimensions to save friends or family. Sazh had done plenty of all that in his time, and he wasn't going to let it change now.

He leaned back in his chair and propped up his feet on the stool before him. A cool wind blew in from the open window and tickled his face, but his jacket was enough to protect him. Spring always proved to be a refreshing change to the bitter winters of the Floating Continent and he looked forward to the warm arrival of summer.

But then, something about the cold reminded him he was high up in the air, and he couldn't complain when he had such a lofty view of the world below. When he took the time to visit the edge, that was.

Still. To feel the heat of the sun on his back again would be nice.

Dajh and Cid sat at the table playing cards and Sazh listened to their playful banter.

"Aw, Uncle Cid! Why'd you have to go and pull a flush?"

"Because." Cid Haze, the portly and jovial friend of Sazh's, had a glimmer in his eye and a quirk in his lips. "That's what fate determined, son."

"Nuh uh." Dajh placed his cards facedown and folded his arms with a pout. "We don't give in to fate in this house, that's what my dad says. We _work_ to our ends."

"That's not the way it goes with cards and luck, I'm afraid." Cid turned to Sazh. "What are you telling your boy?"

"Exactly what he said." Sazh pulled his mug of ale from the counter and took a long sip. "We don't work with fate."

Cid gave a thoughtful hum and Dajh took the cards to shuffle again.

Sazh kicked his feet off their rest and turned to face the two. "How's the new _Nautilus_ coming along?"

"Oh, just fine, just fine." Cid took his new hand and looked at the cards turned up on the table with a stony face. "They're not treatin' the fins right, I'll say, but the structure is faithful to the old beauty. The engineers in Saronia are working around the clock, you know. Didn't look too alert when I visited, but they care as much as I've seen. We'll have the old girl back to herself before you know it."

"Kind of a new girl after what happened." Sazh shook his head and leaned forward to see how Dajh dealt with those numbers in his hand.

"And what about your glider, huh?"

On the table sat a jack, ten, and ace. All hearts.

"Oh, it's coming."

"Well?" Cid betrayed some impatience with a tapping of his finger, though his expression and voice remained level – Sazh found himself surprised at his friend's poker face.

Dajh looked Cid square in the eyes and said, "Call."

Cid swore under his breath and placed a four and an eight on the table. Dajh's grin split his face and he placed a king and queen of hearts on the table.

"You sure you're not rigging this thing?" Cid asked with a huff while Dajh collected his win and got to shuffling again. "You made the cards, after all. Who's to say you didn't enchant them?"

"Drawing isn't magic." Sazh hauled himself over to kneel by the table. "Deal me in, Dajh. It's about time someone told this old-timer how it's done."

"But that's what I've been _doing_!" Dajh threw his head back before dealing hands. "Besides, I didn't just _draw_ the cards, I laminated them, too!"

Cid scoffed. "What in the name of pandemonium does 'laminate' mean?"

"It's why they're shiny!" Dajh pulled off a nine of spades to demonstrate with a flick of the card. It gave off a faint gleam in the light. "Also protects them from water damage."

Sazh took the card. Dajh was talented for his age, but it didn't stop some of the spades from appearing asymmetrical or rough at the edges. Their limited resources here on Blue Terra didn't help either – figuring out about the laminating thing was an accident when Dajh spilled wax on his paper. As it was, the gloss was splotchy and got on the fingers when he held it too long.

"You did a good job, son." Sazh slapped a hand on Dajh's back and the boy beamed back.

Cid stretched out his arms and they popped. "Oi. This takes a lot of mind power."

"One more round." Sazh pushed Cid's hand his way. "I'll see if I can inject some humor into this one, huh?"

"Dad!" Dajh whined. "Stop!"

"Yeah, yeah." Sazh fanned out his cards in his hand. "What's the flop?"

Dajh started and pulled off the top three cards. "Uh, three, ten, and queen."

"Clubs, clubs, hearts." Cid heaved a sigh and looked at his hand. "Huh."

A knock sounded at the door and it opened with a meek "Hello?"

"In here." Sazh frowned at the one of clubs and ace of diamonds. Not a good start, for sure.

Dajh jumped to his feet and rushed for the door, cards forgotten on the table. "Arc!"

Sazh exchanged a knowing look with Cid before he stood to greet his new guest. "What'cha doing here?"

Arc stood in the doorway, dressed in his typical, layered robes. His face donned a couple of hair-thin scars from whatever it was they did on their last adventure. "I wanted to see Cid about borrowing an airship."

"What for?" Cid betrayed some intrigue when he stood and brushed himself off. "Leaving again, already?"

"Possible." Arc sucked in a breath. "Well. Actually, I'm only just visiting from Saronia. I, uh, kinda need to get back."

Cid furrowed his brow. "Then how did you get here?"

"Erm." Arc looked around them. "It's kind of a long story. But to keep it short, I ran into some mages and we're trying out some experimental magic."

Sazh raised an eyebrow and summoned a fiery warmth within to calm himself. "Better watch yourself with that stuff. I hope you don't find yourself ported to the edge of the Continent and dropped over the edge."

Arc managed a weak laugh. "Yeah, I'll, uh, be careful. But I was wondering if I could get a ride back down with my friends?"

Sazh exaggerated a sigh. "Okay, but it'll cost you."

"Of course!" Arc bobbed his head. "We'll pay you."

"Hey, guys!" Desch entered with a wide grin. "I'm not the first one, this time!"

Cid slapped a knee. "Well, if we're not just getting all the visitors today!"

" _I'm_ getting visitors." Sazh leaned back and grimaced. "What am I, a tavernkeeper now? Geez."

Dajh interrogated Arc and got him to tell a story from one of his adventures, so Sazh gestured for Desch to join him and Cid. "What warrants today's visit?" Sazh asked. "More trouble with that girl of yours?"

Desch scratched at his scalp. "Kinda. She doesn't like that I want to see the world."

"Oh, let me take this one." Cid leaned forward and ran a hand through his beard. "Why do you think that is?"

Sazh shook his head and stood. Desch went on to explain something about the wonders of the world while Cid took it in with measured looks.

Adventure. Sazh felt a constricting in his chest at the thought and bit his tongue against a retort. Held himself back from explaining for the thousandth time that Desch should just settle down and enjoy life while he could. Before something took him or his loved one away.

Dajh listened to Arc with rapt attention and Sazh didn't miss how animated Arc got when he explained transforming into a toad.

Despite Sazh's best attempts, Dajh retained a nostalgia for their old lives and that left a gnawing sensation in Sazh's stomach. He tried to ignore it, tried to ignore the sparkle in Dajh's eye when Arc motioned in wide circles and spoke in that soft voice of his. Tried to ignore the injuries Arc sustained since Sazh last saw him, the bruising on his neck and the scab near his hairline, the flinch in his fingers. Tried to forget the way Cid glanced to him like he was worried.

Sazh swallowed hard and moved to get dinner started.

* * *

Arc had the power he needed to open that portal that Palom and Porom mentioned and he might have just completed the first, crucial step to see a whole other world.

Inside the airship, Arc kicked his feet back and forth in anticipation. Ingus and Refia sat beside him, Ingus with closed eyes and Refia with an anxious chewing on her lip. Luneth paced back and forth with an occasional glance upward.

Out of sight, Sazh and Cid manned the helm and Arc trusted them to guide them a lot better than the orphans could. Those two had spent decades doing it, after all.

"This is so inefficient," muttered Luneth without breaking his stride. "Why not just teleport back down?"

"Because we don't know how," Arc reminded him. "It wouldn't be safe to try to get back down without help."

"But these mages you mentioned," said Refia, "they _do_ know?"

Arc's breath caught in his throat and he nodded. "And so much more."

Luneth rolled his eyes. "Like portals?"

"Like portals."

Refia furrowed her brow. "But they need us?"

"For the power to generate it." Arc looked between them. "They had to train their village for years to get everyone capable – now they just need our crystal energy to get that last boost."

"And their motives?" Ingus asked without looking at them. "Do we know their intentions regarding your plans?"

Arc shrugged. "Probably just wanting to explore like the rest of us. I don't see what they could with portals that _isn't_ that."

"Conquer," Ingus said.

"Stealing stuff," Luneth said.

"Spying," Refia said.

"But they don't _seem_ like the kinds to do that type of stuff."

"Yeah, well, neither does Ingus."

"I'll have you hanged."

"Do you ever think _we_ should be doing stuff like that?" Everyone turned to Refia – she fidgeted with her feet. "I mean – we _are_ Light Warriors after all. What if we're wasting our time as blacksmiths and captains?"

Luneth said, "I wonder the same thing."

"You never stopped." Arc shook his head. "I swear, trying to get in contact with you is like trying to catch wind. But I suppose our call _is_ a bit nebulous."

"You're not much better," Refia said. "Honestly, both of you should learn to listen to the Crystals a little more."

Ingus let out a sigh. "I should hope it superfluous to fuss over specifics when it isn't every day that the equilibrium of our world is disturbed."

"Easy for you to say," Luneth said with a flick of his head. "You've got a hot girl waiting for you back home."

Refia grumbled, "Yet he still pays attention, unlike you guys."

"Sara is away on diplomatic missions." Ingus gave Luneth a hard look. "It would be inappropriate for us to engage romantically."

"But you won't say you're not committed?" Refia asked.

"I-…" Ingus folded his arms. "I will speak no further on the matter."

"Of course, he won't." Luneth looked up at the ceiling. "How much longer is this gonna take anyway? I'm getting kind of hungry."

"Same here." Refia frowned. "It isn't the _Nautilus_ , so we can't expect anything quicker than this evening, I expect."

Arc hummed. "That gives the twins more time to recover. Might be good for them to get more energy back before we all come in."

"Yet they moved you across the planet in an instant?" Ingus asked. "Rather an impressive move if it's true that they're so sickly."

"Yeah, that was… a mistake."

"On whose part?"

Arc hesitated. "I don't know. Mine, I guess. I got a little excited and encouraged them to demonstrate their powers despite being in obviously bad shape. But this could mean space travel and seeing other worlds and I… want that."

"Same!" Luneth threw himself back. "Let's keep investigating and just keep an eye on the new guys."

Refia worked her jaw. "Would that be enough, though? If they're powerful enough to create portals, could we stop them if they tried something?"

"We'll have to," Ingus said. "We have the Crystals on our side and we're the designated protectors of this planet. If these mages have ulterior motives, we're the only ones that could do anything to stop them."

Luneth groaned, "Oh, come on. They can't be _that_ good."

The ship pitched into an angle and Arc grabbed at his seat to hold on. The others didn't seem as fazed by the motion. It wasn't that much more of a dive than usual, was it?

Everything shook and rattled about him like a storm billowed about outside, but he knew it had to just be the typical rush that came with landing. With a look out with the window, he found only the sky that quickly gave way to the tops of trees, then buildings. The ship slowed and they landed with a thud.

Luneth jumped to his feet, but Ingus strode to the front. Refia followed behind and Arc forced himself to swallow before joining them. His legs felt weak below him and he used the wall to help him toward the exit.

They exchanged thanks and parting words with Sazh and Cid – Dajh was up by the wheel and admiring the view with enthusiastic narrative. The orphans then started on their way inside Saronia's gate.

They'd not made it far before a man with flaxen hair and dark clothes greeted them. "I'm Ace," he said. "Would you know Sazh Katzroy?"

"You betcha." Luneth gestured behind him. "You should catch him before he takes off again."

Ace paused and blinked at Luneth. "You're-… Ahem. Thanks for the help."

"Of course."

Ace left and the four continued on their way. Saronia greeted them with its bustling streets and clinking beads that hung from the rafters of shops. Wooden shafts formed dozens of windchimes that decorated the fronts of doors and caused a constant, calming din of soft ringing and twinkling.

People passed, wearing predominant reds, oranges, and blues. Voices rang out across the streets and surrounded them with calls for coinage, bartering, and deals.

Arc adjusted the grip on his bag and stared down the imposing image of Saronia's castle. It loomed in the distance like a beacon to the citizens and intimidated with its view. He wasn't sure what would happen once he introduced his friends to the twins – part of him feared they would all see through him and abandon the plan on the spot.

A girl bumped into him and Arc startled back to reality and stuttered, "I-I'm sorry!"

The girl froze and looked up at him with huge, blue eyes and shimmering, golden hair. Dark scars crisscrossed her skin like veins and he could swear he smelled… Crystal? On her? Within him, he felt a distant recoiling and the disgust of a higher power that left a chill on his skin and a sickly feeling in his stomach.

"My bad!" The girl dipped her head and adopted a huge grin. "I wasn't watching where I was going!"

He barely had the chance to speak before she bolted off again, legs moving faster than he thought should be humanly possible. He could swear he saw a hint of glimmering dust in her wake.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't like being so close to the capitol of the lower world because it reeked of responsibilities and intrigue.

Sazh turned back to his ship after bidding the orphans farewell and shook his head. "They're asking for trouble, I tell you."

Cid raised his eyebrows. "You say that like it's news."

"It's not." Sazh scowled. "But it's still trouble."

Dajh approached, footsteps quiet in the grass. "Will we take them back, too?"

Sazh shook his head. "Couldn't say. We'll see how they fare, see if they get themselves entangled in another porting mess. I swear, if I end up playing taxi service, I'll make them pay in shiny gil."

Cid scoffed. "Good luck getting them to commit. The day I see them more than once a month is the day that chocobos fly."

Sazh grumbled to himself. "I'm not their pop."

"Aren't we both?"

"… No."

Cid chuckled. "Not voluntarily, maybe. But ever you two recovered from your fits a while ago, you've been a hair more protective than the average sailor."

"I try not to think about that."

"I know those rants mean something to you. Won't you ever tell me the full story?"

"You heard enough of it, didn't you?"

Cid leaned against the ship. "It's hard to understand one half of a conversation, and a lot of the time, it sounded like you were talking about the weather. Have you been flying longer than you've let on?"

"You know I've been doing it since a kid."

"Yeah, but you haven't only been a kid once, have you?"

"Why do I need to explain my history when you've clearly caught on to more than I would like? Look, it means a lot to me that you stood by us when no one else would, but I would prefer to just forget about it, alright?"

Cid stared him down for a long moment before finally relenting. "Okay, but you owe me."

"When haven't I owed you?"

"When will you repay it?"

"Hey," Dajh said, "do we _have_ to go?

"You bet." Sazh gave him a stern look. "Saronia is all expensive imports and sketchy alleys. Let's not go asking for trouble, alright?"

"Fine." Dajh kicked at the grass. "I guess I'll just have to come back when I'm older, huh?"

Sazh sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, that's one way to do it."

"Excuse me." Sazh look away from the ship to see a flaxen-haired kid with dark clothes approach them. "Sazh Katzroy?"

"Yeah?" Sazh looked at Cid, who shrugged. "Who's asking?"

"Ace." The boy – he couldn't be older than twenty – held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Sazh took it with no small amount of reluctance. "And what are you asking for?"

"I think you know the answer to that question." Ace looked toward Saronia. "Perhaps we could put some distance between us and the city?"

Sazh narrowed his eyes. "Some distance?"

"If that's all right with you."

Sazh exchanged a look with Cid, who raised his eyebrows in what looked like intrigue. Sazh looked back to Ace. "Sure, let me just…" Sazh took Dajh's hand, though the kid tried to squirm out of his grip. "I'll just get a little something before we take off."

"Okay, it's not _that_ long of a trip," Cid said. "Returning to the Continent is almost a straight path upward. Are you sure you need to-?"

Sazh snatched him by the shoulder. "Let's go."

"Well, okay, but-"

Sazh dragged both toward the city and, as he expected, Ace didn't follow. They passed the gates and Dajh made excited noises at the sight of all the well-dressed people and glittering jewelry.

"What's this about, really?" asked Cid as they passed the most elegant sign for a smithy that Sazh had ever seen. "Your past catching up with you, old friend?"

"I'll explain later."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Daddy!" Dajh tugged at Sazh's sleeve. "Look! Chocobo carvings!"

"Later." Sazh kept moving. "Let's get as close to the center of the city as possible."

"The center?" Cid hummed in thought. "Wouldn't that be the throne room in the castle? Unless you're thinking of the closely-guarded jewels in the heart of this place."

"Either will work for this." Sazh forced a swallow. "But I'm going for the throne room."

"Good choice."

Dajh pouted. "Can we at least get something on the way out?"

"Maybe."

* * *

Arc didn't know how the twins would react to his party of friends and that left a twisting knot in his stomach.

It rained when they stepped into Saronia's castle and Arc sucked in a breath at the sight of the halls that greeted them and the hallway that stretched on until the throne room. No sunlight spilled in from the grand windows, but that did little to dampen their impressive sizes.

"It's been so long," said Refia with awe. "I didn't think I'd see this place again for some time."

Ingus straightened and started along the path toward the throne room. "I would agree. Though I suspect it would be for separate reasons."

"Oh, come off it," said Luneth. "There's no 'better' reason to visit."

Refia looked up at the vaulted ceilings. "At least I'm getting a view out of this trip."

Luneth smirked. "Only one?"

Ingus shoved at Luneth's head and earned a yelp of protest.

Arc took a breath to steady himself. Familiar as this place was, it did little to calm him after the twins' arrival.

A servant greeted them at the door and redirected them toward the hospital wing. The four exchanged looks at the detour – Arc didn't know Alus to spend much time with the medics.

When they arrived, Alus was found chatting up the twins themselves. Arc hesitated in the doorway, though Refia and Luneth were quick to march forward and introduce themselves to the newcomers.

Palom lounged in his bed and sipped at what looked to be an ether while Porom sat at the edge of hers and looked like she'd just interrupted a deep conversation with Alus. Both twins had the faintest sparkles dancing about their exposed skin, something Arc had come to associate with severe mana depletion.

Alus' advisor, an older woman in layered robes, stood stiff some distance from the twins and bore the sternest expression. He wasn't yet sure how he would convince _her_ to lend the resources they needed to get their project off the ground.

"Hello!" Alus strode his way and Arc snapped to attention. "Where have you been, my friend?"

Arc cleared his throat and offered a tentative smile. "Wandering, mostly."

"Yet they found you in our own library?"

"… Yes."

"And you couldn't meet with me?"

"I could, but…" Arc looked at the twins. "… I was distracted."

"With books?"

"With books."

"I see." Alus, still no older than eleven, barely came up to Arc's chest and his face still showed a child's fullness. "I suppose I've been busy as well. But I couldn't ignore such an issue as we have." He looked to the twins.

Arc chewed on his lip. "No, it's not particularly forgettable."

"Interworldly travel," Alus breathed. "Can you imagine? The benefits to our kingdoms, to both my realm and yours. We could set precedents for generations to come and pave the way for intergalactic peace. Think of it!"

"It's a little beyond our scope of concern," hissed Alus' advisor. "Majesty, please remember your appointments for the day."

Alus looked at the woman and slumped his shoulders. "Of course. Please, Arc, ask if there's anything you need. I will provide financiers and supplies upon request."

"Yes, thank you."

Alus left with his advisor and Arc turned to the twins, who chattered with Luneth and the others. Ingus stood a couple of feet off, poised as ever, while Luneth and Refia gave animated responses to the twins' words.

Arc joined Ingus and said, "I know what I'm doing."

"I should hope so." Ingus didn't look his way. "It's rather an intensive commitment you've made here."

Arc flushed. "We've discussed the risks and assessed the variables involved. I think we'll pull it off." The Crystals writhed inside him in doubt, suspicious of the twins sitting on the hospital bed.

"And they're not forcing you into it?"

Arc drew up short. "What do you mean?"

Ingus cast him a suffering look. "Don't fool yourself. You are not one known to reject pleas for help, even at the cost of your health."

Arc looked away. "I want to do this."

"You communicate openly with them?"

"… Sometimes."

Ingus shook his head. "That is what worries me most."

"You can taste magic in the air itself," Porom was saying to Luneth. "Very different from here. Mysidia was inundated with wisdom and arcane energy – I wish you could see it."

Luneth shrugged. "I don't see how it could be any better than one of the places holding the Crystals. Those places make you shiver."

Palom explained to Refia their encounter with Arc in the library and Arc caught some rather demeaning terms regarding his finesse. Not that he cared about that kind of stuff, though. He was confident in his abilities and he'd changed a ton in the past months, so he couldn't find the time to place stock in the words of others.

It definitely didn't bother him.

"Rather an intriguing couple," said Ingus with a frown. "I trust you've listened to what our masters have to say?"

"Of course." Arc didn't look at him. "But who wouldn't be suspicious of visitors from another planet? Why can't we be the first to offer them the benefit of the doubt?"

"Because we're not dumber than the gods we serve. Their intentions may be noble, but there's nothing to say they won't cause panic and damage across the land and I would much rather not be an instigator to their reckless charge."

"… Right."

"Luneth, Refia." The two quieted at Ingus' call. "Here, please."

Luneth and Refia cast each other inquisitive looks and came over, though Refia couldn't seem to take her eyes off the twins. "How'd they get here then?" she asked.

"We can hear you," muttered Palom.

"More importantly…" Ingus leaned against the wall. "I'll admit that this is rather a grand and impressive endeavor, but the cost in time and resources should prove astronomical, not to mention what other duties you'll be neglecting. I assume Luneth suggested it?"

"I wish!" Luneth folded his arms. "And I'll ignore your insult for now."

Ingus raised an eyebrow and looked to Arc. "Then what is your goal in this?"

"To…" Arc paused. "Gather knowledge. Inform ourselves the happenings outside our world."

"To what end?" Ingus gestured about them. "Do we not have enough to worry about with the addition of alien concerns? What could we benefit that would make up for the cost in resources?"

Arc worked his mouth for a moment. "The cost isn't… I don't know."

"It hurts," said Palom with a sniff. The others turned to look at him "And it'll suck you dry for days. Making portals isn't for the weak of heart, you know."

"But not with all of us, right?" Refia asked. "Isn't that why we're here?"

Porom shook her head. "In Mysidia, we used almost the whole village to get each portal started and most of us needed days to recover at least. But we're hoping you four can at least cover the power of a village."

Refia blinked. "And what if we don't?"

Ingus and Luneth both looked at Porom and she responded almost mechanically, "Then we'll work out another approach."

"You've been doing this for a while?" Refia asked.

Porom nodded and downed the rest of her ether.

"Not long enough," said Palom before setting down his emptied bottle.

Arc felt a swelling within him before a human presence joined that of the Crystals within him. _Light hero, I've come to-_ A sense of dread filled his chest and the image of an elderly man coalesced beside him. "What are _they_ doing here?"

"We're working together on a way to leave the planet." No one seemed to notice that he was talking to spirits. "Eventually, we're hoping to form a base of operations for mages from all over the cosmos."

"Oh, no." The man's presence sputtered in and out. "Not only are you consorting with world hoppers, but you're consorting with _the twins_. Oh, we are so screwed. I will, uh, I'll be back." His presence evaporated.

The Crystal hummed and Arc felt their confusion ripple through him for a moment before clarity came as sharp as a sword through him. A spirit from the Council of the Dead, come to coordinate with this world. Arc blinked. Was what they were doing wrong?

 _By their standards, perhaps_ , murmured the Crystals. _There are many ways to move between worlds and some aren't as naturally ingrained into the planets as others. The Council would prevent chaos brought on by deformed pathways._

"Portals won't do that?"

 _Portals aren't without their limits. Your power comes at a cost and it will affect your ability to use them._

"That's fair."

Despite his healing, Palom made a show of moving his staff around without using his hands and Arc wondered if that helped to circulate mana? He certainly did it a lot.

"When should we attempt communication with Leonora?" Porom asked of Palom. "We shouldn't put it off much longer."

Palom squinted his eyes in thought. "I don't think we can pull that before we've recovered. I doubt these guys have _that_ much power to summon a portal without us."

"They'll need our guidance regardless." Porom waved a fleck of escaped magic from her face. "Very well. For now, we should plan the setup of our new quarters."

"Won't you be using the library?" Arc asked.

Palom flipped his staff. "No, we need space. Better not disturb the records down there. Do you have a spare field with a cottage we could borrow?"

Arc looked at the other orphans. Refia and Luneth shook their heads.

"It is of Alus' business," said Ingus. "We cannot provide any resources without consulting him and his staff. But I suspect they can find a plot of land large enough to suit your purposes, given the scope of this nation."

"Sweet." Palom stood and finally stilled that staff of his. "Where can we find the guy?"

Arc chewed on his lip. "It's not that simple…"

"And you should be resting." Refia folded her arms. "Get back in bed or I'll call the guards."

Palom huffed and laid down. "Hey, Arc, you can go fetch him, can't you?"

"I'll make a request with the staff." Ingus turned and made for the door. "If you three would make sure those two don't make any trouble in the meantime."

"Gotcha." Luneth stuck his hands behind his head and leaned against the wall. "Not a thing escapes my attention."

Arc swallowed. "Not a thing."

They all traveled to the throne room that very hour.

* * *

Sazh and Cid approached Saronia Castle and Sazh shook his head at the towering sight. "They went in there?"

Cid nodded, eyebrows raised. "I knew they made connections on their adventures, but dang. This is a little above my paygrade. Why aren't I part of the royal fleet right now?"

"Maybe because you never asked?"

"Maybe."

Sazh rolled his shoulders back. "Okay, Dajh. Don't touch a single thing or you lose flying privileges for a week, understood?"

"Yeah."

Sazh nodded to himself. "Right. Okay. Let's go ask after the kids, I guess."

Cid and Dajh followed him inside – the guards at the door didn't cast them a second look – and Sazh held his breath at the murals and vaulted ceiling that greeted them. Statues and artifacts decorated the alcoves and tall windows adorned the walls. Sunlight flooded the hallway they stepped into and a luxurious carpet guided the way down corners and up to closed rooms.

They only had to ask after the orphans for staff members to take them toward the vast throne room near what had to be the center of the castle.

And they walked into what looked like a council meeting between the child king of Saronia and the orphans and what had to be the two newcomers that Arc talked about. In the vastness of the room, the assembly appeared quite small and inconsequential, but Sazh knew those faces to be the only ones necessary to bring chaos to his world as he knew it.

Sazh hesitated near the door and gave the guards enough time to announce, "The renowned pilot of Canaan, Majesty!"

King Alus looked up from his discussion and took a moment to remark on the entrance. "Oh. I must have forgotten our appointment, I'm so sorry, but-"

"You didn't have a appointment." Sazh stepped forward. "I came here of my own accord and I apologize for my bursting in, but I… er, I heard of Arc and Luneth's new acquaintances and I couldn't help myself."

"So is the common story these days, it seems." Alus broke a smile and Sazh reminded himself to breathe. "And Cid Haze! My engineers ask for your participation, still. Can I tell them you're in the area?"

Cid's eyes crinkled at the corners. "You may do as you wish, Majesty, though I can't say I'll be here long." He gave Sazh a pointed look. "I was assuming a quick exit."

"My point is-" Sazh ignored Arc's perplexed look- "Someone should take responsibility for the Warriors of Light, given they are still young, and the Elder of Ur is preoccupied with prior business. I would feel… uncomfortable… leaving them alone."

"Of course!" Alus gestured. "Please! Join us!"

As they walked across the vast hall, Cid whispered to Sazh, "What part of your past is this about, hm?"

"I said I'd tell you later."

"It _is_ later."

"Hey!" Sazh greeted the orphans, who relaxed enough to greet him in turn. The two new mages kept some distance still. "These guys treating you well?"

"You said you would leave," said Ingus. There was no accusation in his voice, only curiosity. "Did something happen?"

Sazh put his hands on his hips and looked about them at all the empty space and whispered, "I'll tell you later."

Cid shook his head. "That's going to get real annoying real fast."

"Hey!" Dajh yanked himself free of Sazh and bounced up to the newcomers. "Are you otherworlders?"

The boy flipped his staff around. "Depends. What makes up an otherworlder?"

"Someone who moves across the planets!" Dajh bounced in place. "I used to do it when I was older!"

The girl blinked. "You also travel?"

"Used to!" Dajh glanced to Sazh. "We saw a bunch of places before, but now we've settled in Canaan. Have you been to Cocoon or Pulse? Are they still around?"

Sazh marched over and took Dajh by the arm. "Hey, stop that. You'll confuse them."

"Wait." The girl held up a hand and stepped closer. "How did you get around?"

"Gates!" Dajh gestured with his hands to form a circle. "Sometimes. Other times, we just kinda… fell through space. It was really weird."

"Interesting." The girl looked at Sazh with specks of glitter that floated like motes of dust about her eyes and skin. "I'm Porom. What's your name?"

Sazh sighed. "Sazh Katzroy."

"And I'm Dajh."

Porom's friend joined the orphans and they spoke with King Alus.

"How long have you been retired from your travels?" Porom asked.

"Bit of a while now." Sazh licked at his lips. "Figured I'd rather let my son grow up first before I let him hop about with such dangers out there."

"I can understand that." Porom looked at Dajh. "Are you glad to be home?"

Dajh scrunched up his nose. "This isn't my home!"

Porom's brow shot up. "Oh! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed! Wow, so you moved across the universe to another world? What's the culture change like?"

"Pretty weird." Dajh put his hands behind his head. "But I like it! It's so cold on the Continent that we get snow drifts that almost cover me completely! Though it doesn't really fall like it should. I think we're too close to the clouds."

"The king has given us a strict budget." Ingus folded his arms. "I hope you'll all do well to follow it."

Luneth looked his way. "Isn't that what _you're_ here for?"

"Not entirely."

"It won't be a problem." Porom's friend waved his staff around. "We won't need that much."

Refia rolled her eyes. "We should keep an eye on it all the same."

Sazh exchanged a look with Cid and whispered, "I guess we'll have a purpose after all."

* * *

At least they got a nice room to stay in for the night. The king allowed accommodations almost as large as one might have seen in Cocoon before it fell. Bedrooms, at least. Living room spaces were still a little beyond what he could expect in such a primitive society.

… Given a certain definition of "primitive."

Dajh was quick to pull out the cards he packed. Sazh wondered if the kid ever left the house without them. Perhaps he should consider limiting card use after this.

With a defeated groan, Sazh took a seat on his bed. "Which game is it this time?"

Dajh didn't hide his grin of excitement while he shuffled the cards. "Serfs."

"Ah." Sazh leaned forward – Dajh dealt until all the cards were split into two hands. "Gonna be a quick one with just the two of us."

"Why didn't Cid come?"

"Because he wanted to catch up with the kids." Sazh took his hand and Dajh placed the first cards – two fours. "… You know, I don't want you near those outsiders."

Dajh groaned. "But did you _see_ what they did with their magic?"

"I don't _care_ what they did with their magic." Sazh placed two fives on Dajh's fours. "They're dangerous and I don't want you getting mixed up in their business."

"Why do you hate it so much?" Dajh placed two eights.

"Hate what?" Two nines.

"Other worlds and stuff." Two aces and Dajh took the pile. Started off the next round with three twos. "Cocoon and Pulse were our home. Why don't you miss them?"

Sazh slapped down fives. "I do."

"But you avoid everything that could possibly get us back." Jacks. "And you always use an angry voice when you talk about it."

"I tried three times to save the world, son." Kings. "Three times and I failed every single one. Not only were my efforts pointless, but each time I tried to help, I lost you. And that's not a price I'll pay again."

"Pass."

Sazh took the pile and started on two sevens.

Dajh placed two kings and Sazh passed. "But what if _I_ want to risk it? What if _I_ want to go home?" Took the pile and started on a queen.

"We _are_ home." Sazh pulled an ace, took the pile, and started with three tens. Dajh shook his head and Sazh took it again. Placed his last card, a single two. "And we're not leaving."

Dajh gave a defeated nod and got to shuffling the deck.


	3. Chapter 3

Arc bit his cheek at the sight of Sazh pacing the hut that Alus' people gave them for their research. It wasn't the largest place to work in, but it would suit most of their needs. Arc had already unloaded all the books he thought they'd need onto the table and got to sorting through them and stocking the waist-high shelves they had for storage. And now they just had to get to work.

Cid and Dajh sat in the corner playing with cards while Palom and Porom whispered together near the door. Refia and the others were out in the city to enjoy themselves before the team got to work.

"So…" Cid placed a card in his game and looked up. "What goes into all this voodoo stuff, anyway?"

"Energy." Palom spun his staff in the air without touching it. "A _lot_ of energy. There's some spells and calculations involved as well, but mostly it'll just about kill you to make the portal, take the rest of what you have left to travel through it, and leaves you with nothing but a new culture and biome to adjust to when you're finished."

Porom shoved at him. "That's a pretty negative view of it."

"Is that your hair is weird colors?" Arc asked.

Porom choked and Palom raised an eyebrow. "Not quite," said Porom. "Mine changed through infusions."

Palom rolled his eyes. "And that's why you go with gem enhancements."

Cid whistled. "Don't you all want to take a drink first or rest? Give us old people something to work with, won't you?"

Sazh snorted. Dajh looked up at them with confusion but said nothing before returning attention to his game.

"The moral support is nice," Arc said. "Thanks for coming."

"You betcha."

Sazh looked at Cid with what looked like regret. Arc wondered what the two thought of the whole situation, given Sazh was definitely hiding something about his intentions in joining the group.

But he was aware enough not to go poking through their intentions – after some of what went on a couple years ago, he knew they were more complicated than he could ever hope to grasp. At least Dajh's rambles stopped, though Arc still had his notes from talking with him.

He never did find out what the planets they referred to were about.

A knock sounded at the door and Arc jumped to get it. Palom and Porom got back to talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Hello, sorry." Arc brushed himself off before looking up. "If you're here for books-"

"Not here for books." A dark-haired girl slapped a small note in his hands and entered the room with a saunter. A blue-haired man followed her. Both wore sleek, black clothes with various colors worked into the design in stripes.

"Yeah." The man flicked his hair out of the way. "Looking for a friend of ours. Short, about your age and height, blonde, kinda whiny? We're here to bring him home."

Sazh made a choking sound.

Arc looked down at the paper in his hands, on which was scrawled the words, _Crystal-chosen, crystal-bound, with this, your power newfound, find the souls whose fates have unwound, makers astound, the unfallen._

"I don't understand." Arc glanced to Palom and Porom, but they just shook their heads. "And I don't know anyone by that description, but…" Arc looked down at the message. "How did you find us?"

"Another friend." The girl strolled forward with what had to be a deliberate sway of her hips, and she paused to look at what the twins were doing. Something about her voice rang a bell in the distant banks of his memory. "Time's apparently gone all wonky, so I won't be surprised if they haven't been here yet for you. Not even the gates are functioning right."

"According to that girl," said the man with a groan. "Who knows how reliable _she_ is?"

"Oh, well." The girl turned away from the twins and looked at Arc with a cocky smile. "May as well get introductions out of the way. I'm Lebreau."

"Yuj," said the man. "Where'd that guy go that was here?"

"And you must be the voodoo witches." Lebreau looked about them with wide eyes. "Even if we're a little early, this is encouraging. Looks like you're making good progress."

"Time travelers," whispered Porom without breaking stride in her work. "You're here for a portal?"

Palom whispered back. "Obviously."

"Something like that." Lebreau glanced outside and narrowed her eyes. "We were just told the best place to go was the city of mages."

"That…" Arc chewed on his lip and crumpled the paper in his hands. "I don't know that we can find anyone yet."

"Not without Leonora." Porom looked up from her device. "But we can make that portal if they want to get to Mysidia."

Arc felt an inexplicable dread settle in his stomach at the mention.

"Are you up to it?" Palom cast his sister a hesitant look. "It's only been a few days since we last jumped."

"Whatever you need to do." Lebreau stuck a hand in one pocket and pulled out a thin and sleek, black box. "If it helps, I've got a beacon."

"Not just that." Yuj folded his arms. "Looks like you all are a little further behind in the tech department. Lebreau, we might want to consider coming back later."

"And risk missing these guys by a generation?" Lebreau shook her head. "We're here now. We should play it safe."

"But _Maqui_ -"

"Could be anywhere!" Lebreau threw a hand out toward the door. "Or any _when_! This is our best bet if we don't want to risk getting lost in space again!"

"I can summon the others." Arc tried to ignore that nagging sense of doubt within him. "I'll need their help if I'm to cover the places of a dozen mages."

"Please do." Porom offered him a sympathetic smile. "It would be better not to push yourself."

"Okay, but…" Arc looked around them and his eyes settled on Cid, who shrugged. "Where'd Sazh go?"

"Sazh?" repeated Lebreau with raised eyebrows. "Don't I know that name?"

"Yeah." Yuj nudged her in the shoulder. "He was that one pilot that knew Snow. I saw him for a second, but he must have run off to do something."

Lebreau allowed a smile. "Oh, good. That's encouraging to know we're not the only ones."

Arc closed his eyes and listened for the Crystals that murmured in the back of his mind. He tuned into their voices and deciphered words that related to distant lands and foreign languages. They communicated with other world guardians and worried about the cosmic ocean that surrounded them.

 _Contact others,_ Arc thought in the form of images. He thought of Luneth, Refia, and Ingus, and mentally brought them to the doorstep of their hut. A hint of impatience at him for not listening. He ignored that. _Ready attempt._

He startled out of the link, a part of him clearly aware the message was sent despite having no evidence to the matter. The Crystals provided a feeling of completeness. "They're on their way."

"Good." Porom breathed out. "I think I'd like to get this done sooner rather than later."

Palom grimaced. "I don't feel full, but I guess we'll get the job done. Odin, I hate not doing it right."

"We don't have time to do it all right." Porom shook her head. "I don't like it either."

Arc took a breath to calm his beating heart. Focused on the outside noises of trilling insects and rustling plants.

The door opened to admit the other orphans and Luneth bounded in first with Ingus and Refia trailing more hesitantly behind. "Got the message!" Luneth announced.

"We can see that," Palom sneered. "Took you long enough."

"You're sure we don't need to know anything?" Refia asked. "I'd feel a lot better if I was familiar with this whole thing."

Porom shook her head. "It would be ideal, but we can work through you. Eventually, yes, it would be nice to catch you all up on the process, but for now we'll manage with what we have."

Ingus tapped his finger against his plated forearm but said nothing. Arc knew better than assume him accepting of the situation. "Do we have your support?" Arc asked.

Ingus didn't look his way. "I couldn't say for support, but I'll help cast all the same."

"Good." Palom took his staff in hand for the first time since Arc met him and tapped the ground with it. "Let's get started, then."

Lebreau and Yuj took steps back in perfect sync. Arc wondered how they would be so conditioned.

"Porom."

"I got you."

The two mages each put one hand forward and the air about them vibrated. Arc swallowed, and his hair stood on end. The very space that encompassed them seemed to ripple and fluctuate.

"Okay," Palom said without taking his eyes off the far wall. "Now you all just _connect_."

Arc put one hand forward. He'd done this once or twice with the others, but only for group healings and other such weaker spells. The moment he connected with the flow of magic, something in his being _clicked_.

Luneth let out a whoop and his figure shimmered. Arc felt the force of him join in with a rushing wind.

Refia and Ingus were more hesitant, but their assistance was no less noticeable. Each one may as well have blasted him with black magic for the pressure that rammed into him.

Arc grit his teeth against the building pressure and used his free hand to prop up the other. Refia squinted her eyes shut and Ingus' shirt turned dark with sweat. Even Luneth stumbled in place and took a stronger stance to steady himself.

Power flowed through him like waves crashing on the shore, the force of it threatening to take him down with them. Every fiber of his being resisted the motion and it came to him that this was not a natural use of magic. The Crystals murmured within him in tones of worry.

He ignored them and reasserted himself.

"Almost there!" announced Palom.

Cid shouted something, but his words were lost to Arc.

He focused on the sensation of his coursing veins and the twitching under his skin. The feeling of mana channeling through him and the power of another world ripping across time and space.

A deep, deafening blast interrupted him and darkness filled his view. He found himself on his knees, disoriented and light-headed. His stomach churned and he thought for a moment he might vomit.

"Is that it?"

Arc looked up at Refia's strained voice and found a swirling, dark void of a circle before him. Tendrils of black and purple reached out and pulsed in strength. The thing looked almost like it was alive.

"That's it." Porom gulped down a breath and wiped at her forehead. "The first half of our job is done."

"Half?" repeated Luneth. "Don't you just walk through it, now?"

"You do." Palom placed his hands on his hips and tried to look strong, but Arc saw the sallowness of his skin. "But stepping in isn't exactly a picnic."

Ingus dropped to one knee and dipped his head. Refia collapsed to the floor. Luneth barely remained standing.

"Who goes through?" rasped Ingus. Arc bit his lip in worry – he would be the least accustomed to magic like this. "I shouldn't expect it to be Luneth."

"Hey!"

"I'll go." Arc raised a hand before scrambling back to his feet. His mouth went dry and his legs felt like noodles beneath him. "I, um… I kinda started this whole mess. I should take responsibility."

Ingus looked up, eyes startlingly red at the edges. "Not all responsibility should be yours."

"Yeah, but who else would?" Refia gave him a meaningful look. "You?"

Ingus visibly swallowed. "I would. Should I recover my strength."

Porom stepped forward. "There's no time for that. We need to go before it destabilizes."

"Then I'll do it." Arc took a breath in hopes of calming his stomach, but it didn't help. "Are you two coming, too?"

"How about you go first?" Palom nudged him in the back with his staff. "You look like you need to get it over with."

"I do." Arc forced a step toward that twisting and churning portal and tried not to think about stepping into a vast and empty void.

"It'll be fine." Porom offered him a reassuring smile. "Faster than blinking."

Arc nodded, more to himself than her and forced another step. The ground and air warped as he approached and something about his proximity to it made it difficult to breathe.

He'd learned a long time ago that it didn't help to stretch things out, that if he wanted to get over his fear, it was easier to just do it.

So Arc threw himself forward despite what felt like cords holding him back.

And slammed into… a brick wall?

He didn't see what happened. In fact, he kinda didn't see… anything. His eyes felt glued shut and he registered a sharp agony around his chest and confused mutters.

* * *

Sazh sat beside Arc's bedside in the hut, mouth pressed against clasped hands. How did this happen?

"Daddy?" Dajh sat beside him and only used his quietest voice. "Why couldn't he go through the gate?"

"… I don't know."

The boy in bed slept with closed eyes and even breaths. He couldn't see much physical damage outside discoloring around the fingers, but Arc hadn't woken up since their attempts at the portal yesterday. Ingus filled him in on the details and Sazh was convinced the young captain would storm off right then. As it was, Ingus was out on a walk and only Luneth and Refia accompanied them.

Sazh couldn't blame him.

"Will he be okay?"

Sazh didn't want to lie, but he did just that. "Of course, he will."

"We've been through worse," Refia said. She sat on the opposite side of the bed and Sazh was struck by her somber attitude. None of the orphans showed their usual energy, even before Arc went out. "He'll make it. Just gotta recover his Crystal energy and…" She shook her head. "I don't know how it works. But he'll be fine."

"Kinda lame how that worked out," Luneth muttered. "We were about to see another world and everything."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Refia leaned back. "None of us can go through – I've confirmed it with the powers that be."

"I should have listened." Luneth paced about a few steps before stopping short. "They tried to warn all of us, but-"

"Not even _Ingus_ heard." Refia gave Luneth a hard look. "The Crystals were distracted – this isn't our fault."

Luneth bit his cheek. "Makes you wonder why."

"It's not something to worry about right now. We'll wait for Arc to wake up and we'll figure things out from there."

"Yeah, sure." Luneth turned to leave. "I'll go talk to Ingus."

Refia stood. "I'll join you."

Sazh waited for them both to leave before he turned to Dajh. "Do you see now why I don't want to leave this world?"

Dajh scowled. "I guess, but-"

"There's not only one way to move," came a voice from the other end of the room.

Sazh looked up to see the kid that met them at the plane. Then promptly dropped his head. "What do you want?"

"Portals aren't the crudest form of transportation." Ace took slow steps toward them, hands in his pockets. "But they're not 'official,' either. Nature has deemed only few select paths and we're the only three on this planet that can use them. I waited an hour for you, by the way."

Sazh pulled himself to his feet and looked the kid square in the face. "You realize there's a boy lying unconscious right beside me, yet you're gloating?"

"I…" Ace stopped and looked away. "I can't afford to worry about insensitivity right now."

"Oh, and why not?" Sazh couldn't help his voice raising a notch. "You wanna drag me away from my one chance at happiness? You wanna disrupt my calm before it begins? Well, why can't you and the rest of your goddamn _destiny_ leave me alone? What do you and fate want so badly that _I_ can't get what _I_ want?!"

"I-"

"No!" Sazh closed in and pushed Ace back with as much force as he could muster, but the kid corrected himself with inhuman grace and speed. "You _leave_ this planet! You get your ass out of here and let me live out the rest of my days _in peace_!"

Ace frowned and constricted his jaw. "This isn't about you."

"Dajh." Sazh gestured. "Go read in the library."

"But Daddy-"

"I said go!"

Dajh _harrumphed_ and stomped out of the room. Sazh glared down at Ace. "What is it about, then?"

Ace just breathed for a moment. "I spoke with your son, Sazh. He went and found me and asked to go back to Valhalla and leave you. I told him that wasn't an option – not without your permission."

Words died in his throat. "… He did?"

"Yes." Ace worked his mouth and put his hands on his waist. "I can't do this without your consent – I can't force you back. But you also need to know the stakes and if Dajh is a willing fighter for our cause, then I'm tempted to take him without you."

"That's not happening."

"I know." Ace licked his lips. "At least, I know that _I_ won't do it."

"What are you-"

"SAZH!"

He turned stiff. Then forced himself to look up at Snow Villiers. Waltzing in like he owned the place.

"Old man, I thought I'd never see you again!"

Sazh looked to Ace and the boy had the shame to clear his throat and appear sheepish.

Snow slapped a hand on Sazh's should and yanked him close. "Look at you! Like you came out of some fairy tale!"

Sazh pulled his lips into a fine line. "Look who's talking."

"That would be me." Snow pulled away. "Geez, man. You almost look younger than when I last saw you."

"Probably am."

Snow whistled. "You work out now?"

"Kinda." Sazh forced himself to take a measured breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, seeing the sights. Traveling the worlds. Looking up old friends. The usual."

Sazh caught sight of Lebreau and Yuj in the doorway. They both froze. "Minus the time travel, of course," he forced through grit teeth.

"Yeah, I guess, but-"

"Snow!" Lebreau ran their way and Ace took the moment to slip away.

Yuj strolled in behind her. "Boss."

"You–I–we–!" Snow flailed like a fish taken out of water. "GUYS!"

Lebreau threw an arm around his neck. "What a small universe, big guy! Where's the lover?"

"Still working on that." Snow gestured for Yuj to join them. "Hey, kid! You look skinnier than usual!"

Yuj held up a hand. "And you look even larger!"

Sazh rolled his eyes. "What, is our whole world mobilized across space, now?"

"Maybe." Lebreau pulled away from Snow and grabbed him by the arms. "Boss, we lost Maqui."

"You…" Snow blinked and the room went quiet. He looked about them, chest heaving and obviously still processing the fact that Lebreau and Yuj were there.

Sazh swallowed. "What, the guy with the crazy hair?"

"No." Yuj's lips curled in disgust. "The little one, in the baggy clothes."

Blood went cold. "Shit."

"We thought the same." Yuj shook his head.

Lebreau shook Snow and he finally snapped to attention. "Maqui, Snow. He's gone."

"Gone." Snow's hyperventilating stopped. "What do you mean, 'gone?'"

"As in someone else got a hold on him." Lebreau finally let Snow go. "There's this bastard going around picking up pawns for his scheme. Drives people insane until they eventually slip away in search of him. Like brainwashing or something."

"Brainwashing." Snow looked like he would topple over with the lightest breath. "Maqui's gone. Where's Gadot?"

"Elsewhere." Yuj stepped forward. "We split into two groups some time ago, but when we met up again, he told us what happened. Gadot's now working with some other guys to find out what's going on while we were sent to figure out more effective travel. Back roads haven't worked so well for us."

Snow blinked. "Why not just use gates?"

"Never mind that!" Sazh stepped forward. "Why are you still running around?! Isn't it about time we all give up on fixing everything? Even if we can't find the kid, it's high time y'all cut your losses and found somewhere safe to settle for the rest of your mortal lives!"

"It's a little late for that," Yuj whispered.

"And besides." Lebreau folded her arms. "We're not ones for settling down."

"That's my team." Snow patted Yuj on the shoulder. "Don't forget our old motto, okay? Only replace 'the army' with 'gods.' I could use some of that attitude again. Wait until you see our new place, old man, it's stupid big!"

"Yeah, about that." Sazh focused on Snow. "I'm not going."

"You – what?"

Sazh shook his head and pushed past them. "I've told your friend Ace several times now."

"But why not?"

"Ask your friend!" Sazh left the room and made for the library. He had to talk to his son.


	4. Chapter 4

"We need _numbers_!"

Arc woke to clamoring voices about him. He blinked open bleary eyes to a small, standing crowd and the first thing he felt was a searing, all-encompassing _pain_. It throbbed in his veins and pulsed under his skin. He grit his teeth against the sensation and wondered for a moment if he'd managed to slip into boiling water or char his skin somehow.

"How are we supposed to get numbers when we just used up all our power on a _dud_? He's a _dud_!" That was Palom's voice. "I knew he wasn't so great, but just because he can make a light show, we thought he could take the place of an entire _circle_!"

The Crystals whispered hurriedly in his head, too fast and too indistinct to make out.

"Oh, stop preening yourself, you insolent _prick_!" Porom.

Next came Refia's voice. "No one said one of us could replace a circle. We've only just found from our source of power the rules on this – no one expected us to try space travel so quickly."

"Well, wouldn't it have been convenient to figure that out _before_ we used up our energy?"

"Now, now." A new, low, and almost seductive voice broke in, "Let's focus on moving forward from this, shall we? I've arrived with this strange, tanned fellow, after all, so it's not a total loss."

Quiet. And then, from Luneth, "Why are you even _here_?"

"To find a new world for my people. We need magic, I said. Not too different a boat we're in, I'd say."

"And I have debt to collect." A new, baritone voice.

Arc stifled a groan and tried to pull himself in a sitting position. It worked, but he regretted it. His body felt like it was burned afresh with the motion.

"Will you look who's come to?" Lebreau came to stand over him and Arc flushed at the sight of all that skin. "Good to know you're still alive."

"Hey." Refia rushed to his side and Luneth followed a little behind. Arc could swear his brother actually showed a hint of concern in his eyes there. He found Cid in the far corner of the room, crinkled eyes narrowed.

"What-…" Arc cut off, surprised by the pain in his throat and the coarseness of his voice. "What happened?"

Luneth scrunched up his face. "I shouldn't bring the mirror, right?"

"It's been days." Refia chewed on her lip. "And… you're not in good shape."

"I tried it too." Luneth kicked at the ground. "Apparently the cosmos is bigoted against Crystalchosen groups. It isn't just you."

Ingus joined the others and started a cure that Arc couldn't feel. "You used up your health threshold – anything else and you would have truly died."

"Yeah." Refia looked away. "You shouldn't try too hard to move for now."

"Or maybe ever," said Luneth with a scowl.

Arc knew the truth before the Crystals whispered it to him. "We can't leave."

Almost everyone in the room shook their heads at once.

"It's not such a big deal, is it?" asked Cid. "We've lived here this long – who's to say you're missing anything?"

"It's a bit of a complication." Palom heaved a heavy sigh and folded his arms. "We'll have to re-evaluate our plan."

"But…" Arc choked and took a moment to clear his throat. "But Leonora. Shouldn't she-?"

"We need her," said Porom, "but it wouldn't help us to lose any of you guys, either. The magic on this world feels weaker – we would need a veritable throng of mages to get one going without you."

"Is that how the Crystals work?" asked the low-voiced man. "They soak up more of the mysticism and imbue it in their chosen heroes?"

Refia bowed her head. "I don't know. Maybe."

"It's not important." Yuj took a seat by the wall and flicked his hair back. "We should focus on our plan moving forward."

"He's right." Lebreau stepped away and looked about them. "If we can't move yet, what else is there for us to do?"

Palom flicked a wrist and floated his staff in a circle. "Build up our base and gather the best scholars in this city. The better equipment we can set up, the better off we'll be when we get moving again."

"How long can we expect for recovery?" Lebreau looked to Arc and the others. "Days? Weeks?"

"Weeks would be ideal." Ingus looked at Arc. "But days should be manageable."

"I'll take healing duty." Refia pulled up a chair to sit beside Arc. "Regular white magic should expedite the process and-"

The door burst open and everyone snapped their heads up to find three newcomers – a white-haired and dark-skinned man, followed by a man and woman with blond hair and tanned skin. All wore desert-oriented clothing.

The darker man toted branching and uneven scars all over his face and exposed arms. Arc thought he could see a dark mist about the three.

"Join the party!" Lebreau waved a hand. "Give us your names and we'll give you badges."

Yuj shook his head. "We don't have badges."

"Penelo?" Porom asked.

The girl perked up. "Do I know you?"

"Perhaps not." Porom stood with some hesitance. "None of you look well."

"It's been a…" The sandy-haired man grimaced. "… Interesting trip. But you know what, I've been in space, now, so I'm not gonna complain."

"To say the least," groaned the girl. "On both accounts."

"We'll fix directions," said Palom with a wave of his hand. "Later. For now, we've got other problems. One being that our future selves must have directed everyone here and now. Either that, or we make some enemies that thought – no, _will think_ – it's funny to confuse our beginnings of greatness."

Porom rolled her eyes.

"You should all sit down." The tanned guy that came with the seductive one shot to his feet and gestured. Arc only then noticed small, branching marks on him that weren't unlike the newcomer's. "Please. You look like you'll topple over on the spot."

The sandy-haired man perked up and snatched the spot before anyone could say anything. "Yes! My legs feel like they're about to fall off!"

"Gotcha!" The girl promptly took a spot on the floor by his side without a moment's pause.

The white-haired man appeared more hesitant. Porom stood to make way for him, but he held up a hand. "I'm fine, really."

"Are you?" asked Ingus. "I think most of us know one the sight of one about to die from exhaustion when we see it."

The man blinked and rubbed at his shoulder. "I, uh, also know when I'm closer to clearing that threshold, believe me. I feel better standing for now."

"How about we get the round of introductions over with?" piped up Luneth before leaping to his feet. "I'm what we call the guy in charge, Luneth of Ur."

"No, _I'm_ the one in charge." Palom stepped forward. "The great sage Palom."

Lebreau also stepped forward. "You know?" She pointed to Yuj at the end of the room. "Yuj-" pointed to herself- "Lebreau, Setzer – what was your name again? Oh, yeah, Firion. Refia, Ingus. Oh, and that's Arc collapsed on the bed over there."

"Baralai," said the scarred man.

"Vaan!"

The girl stuck a hand in the air. "And Penelo!"

Arc would have to get used to seeing midriffs, he supposed. Were they the only town in the cosmos with sensible fashion? Luneth couldn't seem to take his eyes off Lebreau, though Refia also showed not a little fascination with Setzer.

"What's happened with Arc?" Baralai asked.

"Portal traversal gone wrong," said Porom. "We missed a variable in our equations, it seems."

" _They_ missed a variable." Palom gave Arc a pointed look. "Kind of an obvious one."

Baralai winced. "I know the feeling. Of portal-traveling the wrong way."

Firion opened his eyes wide. "… You do?"

"Are you also Crystalbound?" asked Refia.

"No, uh…" Baralai pursed his lips like he'd just tasted something awful. "I just… know."

"Kind of a long story," said Vaan with a wave. "He's not the only one. Let's move on."

"Wait." Arc cleared his throat again, but it just hurt more. He tried to swallow the pain, but to no avail. "Luneth. Is okay?"

"Yeah." His brother bounced in place. "I think I aborted faster or something, cause I didn't even get through my threshold."

"Wonderful." Arc shifted and tried to get himself comfortable. "At least it's just me again."

Ingus cast him a flat look. "As if that would make it more bearable a situation. With you incapacitated, our abilities are greatly limited in the only ways that matter for the twins' progress."

"Yeah." Palom stuck his hands behind his head and left his staff hanging. "Don't forget that you would all be hopeless without us."

"But this is _our_ plan." Porom stood and looked at everyone in turn. "And we should take responsibility. I'm not sure the message reached you all in the end, but we've already caused one casualty – I'd hesitate to be too hasty in our moving forward for fear of causing it again." She gestured for Baralai to sit. He reluctantly did so.

Luneth waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"You miss her point," snapped Ingus. "We should proceed with _caution_ -"

"We shouldn't proceed at _all_!" Refia jumped to her feet. "Look at what travel like this has done to everyone! We may all be bound to this world, but that doesn't mean that everyone else doesn't face their own risk!"

"The risk wasn't uncalculated," said Baralai. The clear and commanding tone of his voice had the whole room draw up short. "Look at me – I'll be the first to tell you that, yes, we're putting ourselves in danger by moving about the cosmos. But we would invite a danger far, _far_ worse to sit idle. Beings beyond our power and comprehension threaten every planet in our galaxy and it's our job to ensure they don't succeed."

"And how can we trust you?" Lebreau turned on him. "Just waltz in here and tell us what to do, right? You seem like you're used to power – you know my experience with powerful men and what they've done on mass scales?"

Yuj shook his head. "It's not good. We'll leave it at that."

"You're not the only ones." Firion leaned forward. "But I don't sense any corruption on him."

"Like it's something you can just _tell_." Lebreau shook her head. "Shove your fairy tales up yours, won't you?"

Firion jumped to his feet. "Don't assume such a life of me!"

"Hey!" Porom flew to the middle of the room without touching the ground. "Quiet, all of you! This is humanity against the divine! We can't afford to fracture like this!"

"I agree." Setzer folded his arms. "Why don't we have some wine? Calm our nerves?"

"We don't have any," Refia said with a huff. "And I doubt alcohol will soothe tensions."

Setzer sighed. "Says someone who's obviously never had it."

The room broke into small factions, with some arguing for travel, others against. Some tried to edge in with compromises. Vaan and Penelo conversed quietly and separately, their words lost to Arc amid the din. Baralai remained silent.

Arc braced himself and moved to stand. No one stopped him. Shutting one eye against the pain, he made his way to the newcomers' corner and tapped Baralai on the shoulder. The man startled, and Arc took a seat on the floor beside them. "You're the only three whose stories haven't been shared, I think." Arc looked at Firion and Setzer. "Unless they've stayed quiet since they got here."

Penelo leaned over to Baralai. "It's really a long story, isn't it?"

"Aren't all of them?" Arc looked around. "I can't imagine a short one drawing people across the universe."

Baralai showed some consternation in the furrow of his brow.

"We lost someone," Vaan said. "And almost lost another. In fact, one of the most powerful nations on our world just about fell in chaos thanks to Bhunivelze. We're not gonna let that slide."

Baralai raised his eyebrows as if impressed. Penelo nodded slowly to herself and said, "That about sums it up."

Arc blinked. "Why does he keep doing that?"

"Who-?" Vaan started. "You know the guy?"

"Not me." Arc pointed to Lebreau and Yuj, who were engaged in a charged debate with Palom. "But it sounds a lot like what happened to their friend. And… the Crystals tell me it's the same being."

"Crystals?" repeated Vaan. "You talk to rocks?"

"No, they-" Arc blinked and paused. "Actually, yes. I never thought about it that way before."

"Oi!" Cid yelled and the room stilled. "Such nonsense! You realize my friend has killed gods before, right? You know the kinds of people he had to get along with? They were as different as the strange clothes you all wear! But he learned to communicate, yeah? How about we practice some talking here, all civilized-like."

"I think it's safe to say," said Firion, "that some of us are open to debate and others aren't."

Lebreau rolled her eyes. "Everyone that's not you, you mean."

"Silence!" Ingus' voice boomed and he took to the center of the room. "Remember your dignity! Sir Cid is right – what are we but a misguided and confused band of strangers?"

Miraculously, everyone stayed quiet. Even Palom showed some sheepishness in his face.

Ingus looked at everyone in turn and Arc knew that expression from Ingus' training modes with footmen. "Many of you have come here to fight a god, yet you cannot reason on such a simple dilemma! Arc!"

Arc went rigid at the call and Ingus' eyes burrowed into his. "Y-yes?"

"You didn't hear the Crystals themselves condemn your entrance? Did the mage's words distract you so?"

"I – I guess so."

"It was the same for us, remember your confidence for once." Ingus turned to Palom. "And despite _your_ own claims to greatness, you let the distraction of esteem and pride interfere with the very mission you claim adherence to!"

Palom scowled. "I do _not_."

"Your lies do not convince me." Ingus turned to Lebreau and Yuj. "And have you to say for your own lack of direction? Is the life of your friend not at stake? Why would you bring such a trivial attitude to a rescue mission?"

Lebreau rolled her eyes and Yuj blinked.

Ingus' expression turned harder and he rounded on Setzer. "Same goes to you. We speak of such matters as astronomical salvation, yet you act as if you've sat down to a luncheon. What shame have you?"

Setzer shrugged.

"What have we?" Ingus threw a hand in the air and let it drop. "What _are_ we? How do we deign to address such goals as this without the discipline to look beyond our own selves? I'm ashamed of all of you. I would rather return to my own land in Sasune where I know how I would act and help my people – where I trust those with whom I mingle. They show much maturity compared to people such as this."

Ingus promptly turned on his heel and exited the building.

Stunned silence followed. Arc exchanged a look with Baralai, who kept his gaze on the far wall. Cid folded his arms over his chest with an approving nod to himself.

The door opened again and Arc half-expected to see Ingus storm in and mention one more thing, but instead Sazh stepped inside and asked, "Why's the soldier so upset?"

"He's got a point," Refia said without looking at anyone.

"You're just in time." Cid patted Sazh's wrist. "These kids are looking for a leader and it seems fate would have you do it this time."

"What?" Sazh scanned the room. "No, I came looking for Dajh. Who _are_ all of you?"

"Forget that!" Palom huffed and twirled his staff in aggravated motions. "We've got to re-evaluate! Anyone that wants to back out, do so now! The rest of us have work to do!"

After another tense moment of quiet, Baralai raised a hand. "You've still got us."

"And us," said Refia.

"No point in running now." Yuj put his hands behind his head. "Sounds like we'll just keep at it for now."

* * *

He finally found his son on a hillside overlooking the skyline of Saronia. It wasn't an impressive skyline, but Sazh could appreciate the beauty of such rustic rooftops and warm fires in the streets. The hillside also lent a view of the mages' hut and a gloriously brilliant sun that set beyond the horizon.

Dajh sat with half of his face buried in his arms folded over his gathered knees. "Hey, Daddy."

"Hey." Sazh took a seat beside him. Saronia still murmured with activity despite the hour and Sazh wondered at the distant songs. "You talked to Ace."

"… Maybe."

"You wanna leave me behind?"

"No." Dajh bit his lip. "I thought… I thought that maybe you'd follow me."

"Really."

Dajh moved his hands to his sides and turned to look at Sazh. "I really miss them, Daddy. I wanna go. I wanna see things and meet people and explore the universe in a cool spaceship!"

"I don't think they use spaceships, son."

"I don't care." Dajh jumped to his feet. "It would be really cool! We'd be travelers with powers and help those we cross in our adventures! Don't you want to help people?"

"Not really."

"Why not?"

"I think I've repeated this a few times already."

Dajh pouted and sat back down. "But… it'd be _awesome_."

"I don't care." Sazh thought of those kids in that hut, bruised, broken, and still struggling to find their way forward in their reckless endeavors. Another day without a lot of progress, yet the kids kept working away at their project like they had a deadline of yesterday. "I won't see you turn out like Maqui."

"Who?"

Sazh shook his head. "We're not leaving."

"Hey, there." Cid sauntered up the hill. "You have any idea how hard it is to find you here?"

"Tell me about it." Sazh patted the spot beside him and Cid took a seat. "What's the news?"

"Welp. There's definitely no stopping them."

"I didn't think so." Sazh pulled out his pipe and summoned a small flame in his finger to light the leaves inside. "Best not bother trying."

"But you want to." Cid shook his head. "There's no hiding your feelings, friend. You've been running from your past for so long that a kid as motivated as Ace can't convince you to leave. Yet you'll allow these guys to facilitate space travel?"

"Technically," Dajh said, "Ace is a hundred years old."

"I don't choose what they do in their spare time." Sazh swallowed bile. "It's not like it affects me, after all."

Sazh offered Cid the pipe and Cid took a deep breath of it before letting out the smoke through his nose. "Really."

"Really." Sazh took the pipe back and savored the lingering taste of berries in his mouth. "Not like they'll lose their children and lives like I did."

Cid shook his head. "Awful business."

Dajh took a blade of grass and placed it between his fingers. "Hey! I see Snow."

"Oh, no-" Sazh scrambled to stop him, but Dajh blew between his fingers and a piercing shriek sounded.

Near the hut, Snow perked up and Sazh groaned. The big man jogged their way. "Hey, guys!"

Sazh hung his head. It took a few minutes for Snow to make it to them and Sazh squinted his eyes shut while he could, so he could pretend he was somewhere else right now. "Not gonna let it go, will you?"

"Probably not." Snow took a seat beside Cid. "Don't know a lot of people around here, you know."

"Right."

Cid hefted himself to his feet. "You know, I'm kind of wanting a drink. Wanna join me at the tavern, Dajh?"

"No alcohol," Sazh reminded him.

"Not for the boy, of course."

Sazh leveled his best glare Snow's way while Cid sauntered off toward the inn with Dajh in reluctant tow. "You're on thin ice, son."

Snow summoned a snowball in one hand. "Appropriate metaphor there, pops."

"Quit it with the humor." Sazh smacked the snowball out of Snow's hand and sent it splattering into the grass. "Why are you here?"

Snow worked his mouth for a moment. "Honestly? I don't know."

"Then you'd better figure that out right quick."

"How about you first tell me why you've given up on us?"

"I haven't given up."

"Then what, man?" Snow didn't raise his voice, but his patience seemed to wear thin. "This isn't your home! Aren't we worth your time? Or are we too much trouble? Or is it because this is such a damn fine place that you've lost your direction again? If I could whip out your eidolon for you I would, but they're having trouble getting Shiva back and I don't even know what's going on with Brynhildr and-"

"I miss them." Sazh kept his eyes on that violet horizon, with all those light bugs that glittered about the plain. "Don't think I wouldn't want to see everyone else again."

A moment of silence. Then, to his surprise, Snow whispered, "I know."

Sazh swallowed his emotion. "Especially Vanille. I'd-…" He shook his head and looked at the grass. "I'd love for her to smile at me again."

Snow took a long moment to respond. "She's changed, you know."

"Of course, she has." Sazh snapped his head up. "Survive the end of the world so many times and you think she wouldn't? Shoot, son, you're dumber than I remember."

"No, she…" Snow's jaw constricted. "She's joining with gods. She's _different_."

"And you want me to bring Dajh back? Drag him where _he_ could be stolen as a vessel?"

"You know I don't mean that-" Snow paused. "Wait, how'd you know she-?"

"I knew enough of news in Luxerion. I may have sequestered myself off from society, but I wasn't a _complete_ hermit."

"You got news like that in the Wildlands?"

Sazh hummed at the thought of those sprawling, green plains. "I had my ways."

"I underestimated you."

"People like to do that." Sazh stretched his legs out. "Oi. Not particularly motivating, are you?"

"Nah." Snow adopted his typical grin and his eyes sparkled. "I didn't come for that, old man."

"Then what?"

"You know what you said about Vanille? About wanting to see that smile again? I wanted to hear your voice. It's kinda… grounding, you know?"

Sazh blinked. "It's what?"

Snow offered him the sincerest grin. "I'm just glad to see you again."

"Hmph." Sazh looked away. "You're just saying that, aren't you?"

"You wouldn't believe the things I've seen. I've played ball games underwater and handled rebellions led by jealous exes. Yet the thing I found strangest was the distance I felt when I thought of you guys."

"Bit on the nose, there."

"I know." Snow scowled. "I really missed you all, okay? It really sucked to be stuck on another planet without a hope of knowing if I'd ever see you again. Maybe you don't care so much about it, but it means a lot to me that we can hope to meet again."

Sazh let out a long sigh. "I do care."

Silence fell for a moment between them and all Sazh could hear was the distant chirping and trilling of insects. A wind blew over the plains and sent waves through the sea of grass.

"But you won't come back with us."

"No. The kids here, I feel like I owe it to them. Lots of people that lost their parents, you know? I feel like I make a difference here, unlike when I was out toppling gods and all that. I _matter_ here."

Snow nodded to him and Sazh wished he couldn't see the tightness in Snow's lip. "Okay then," said the man with a look Sazh's way. "I don't know how things are gonna go from here, but just… let us know, okay? Keep me updated."

Sazh couldn't think of anything to say when Snow stood. More silence. Snow waited, gave Sazh plenty of opportunity to change his mind, exchange thoughtful words, or at least say goodbye.

"The others will respect your decision, you know." Snow gave him a hard look. "And I'll talk the Zero kids into leaving you alone. We'll work it out, okay?"

The response died in Sazh's throat.

Snow bowed his head to himself. "Right. See you around."

Sazh watched Snow walk off into the falling night.


	5. Chapter 5

Today, he would create a portal to another dimension and let in yet one more guest to their growing party.

Arc drew his robes tight about himself and took a deep breath. He felt a weakness in his knees and a faint stutter in his breath, but Crystal energy swirled within him as a cool and revitalizing flow. It wouldn't be long before he felt no differently than he did two days ago. He'd certainly experienced this enough to know.

He paused. Funny how that didn't discourage him.

"Hey." Palom slipped through the door. "You coming or not?"

Arc took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"About time."

They left the hut and entered the garden that surrounded the hut. Really, it looked like quite an idyllic scene. Arc breathed in the fresh, morning air that greeted him and blinked against the rising sun.

The crowd of travelers they collected stood in groups, chatting, stretching, sparring… Arc thought it was an odd sight after all the commotion. Cultures and worlds collided in the form of a ragtag band of barely-known acquaintances in haphazard outfits that mixed styles and fabrics and designs like they belonged in some kind of circus.

"Hey!" Palom called. Most snapped their attention to him, though Vaan and Firion remained distracted with a knife swing technique. "We're about to get another portal going! Last call for anyone going to Mysidia?"

No one spoke up, though Setzer looked thoughtful with that frown of his. After a prolonged moment of silence, Palom nodded to himself. "Good. That would have added a lot more hassle to our side. We'll get a better portal for you all after this one."

Arc took a breath to calm his beating heart. It wasn't so bad last time, aside from his failed exit, and he reminded himself this time would be no different. Porom even asserted that it would be better without the pressure to make it usable from their end.

Everything would be fine.

Luneth gave an exaggerated groan and dragged himself their way. "I haven't even had breakfast!"

"Breakfast comes after." Refia placed a hand over her midriff. "I'd rather not exert myself on a full stomach, thanks."

"Are you really okay with this?" Arc asked. "I don't want you to-"

Refia waved a hand. "We'll manage. I don't like it, but I think we have enough numbers on this side to beat back an invasion if there happens to be one."

"Wait!" called Cid. He rushed their way from the direction of the city, where he and Sazh stayed until Sazh left. Cid puffed and slowed to a halt. "Sorry I'm late! Gosh, I had no idea you would start so early!"

Porom moved to greet him. "Oh, you didn't have to-"

A flash of light burst around him and Cid yelped. Dropped to the ground with a groan.

Everyone startled – some dropped into ready stances, others whipped spells to life. A woman with flaxen hair and torn clothes that might have once resembled the sky sauntered into view. "Enough of this, please."

"Hilda!" shouted Firion with distress in his voice. "What are you-?"

She launched a bolt of – light? – his way and Firion jumped out of the way.

Porom and Palom moved as one. Black magic combined to create a devastating storm while white magic forced it into a contained space about the woman. The clouds swallowed her up.

And burst apart to reveal her again unharmed.

Luneth, Setzer, Baralai, Yuj, Vaan, and Firion all took melee and closed in. Penelo jumped away and started up what looked like a protection spell. A big one.

Lebreau screamed and shattered the air with a pull on her gun. The woman flicked a wrist and a tiny _boom_ sounded.

Yuj dropped.

Refia leapt to his side, hands already lit with white magic, while Porom focused on Cid.

Vaan danced in and out of the woman's range but got too close and suffered a hit to the torso. Blood burst in a shower of red and Porom moved her attention that way.

Arc latched onto the lifeforce of the woman in the center of action, felt at that dancing, fluttering sense of living and _pulled_.

Health flooded him and the woman stumbled but didn't fall. Color drained from her, skin sunk. Yet she kept moving.

She danced out of the way of an attack and snatched Baralai by the hand. It only lasted a second, but Baralai promptly dropped to the ground. Porom blasted him with so much white magic, it sparkled and danced in the air about them.

Arc remembered the feeling of that portal forming by his hands, of the sucking air and broken gravity. He looked to where Firion and Setzer used weapons to keep the woman cornered. Penelo and Refia focused their white magic on the injured Yuj and Vaan. Lebreau walked in an anxious circle around the melee group, gun poised in both hands and ready to shoot.

Luneth jumped out of reach.

"Luneth!" Arc gestured and his brother took the cue to scramble into position.

Arc created a portal just below Luneth, who jumped in place at the appearance of warping space that took over the view of the ground there.

One end. Right. He needed an outlet.

Arc took a breath and strained against the magical forces that resisted his command. He warped space and wrenched open the sky above the woman.

Luneth dropped through, fell in the air for a moment before he switched to the form of a dragoon and tackled the woman to the ground.

Only to get thrown to the side.

The woman launched more of that blinding magic and it threw Firion backward.

Arc barely made it two steps that way before the air vibrated and the woman froze. Setzer took the opening to sweep in and stick a dagger at her throat.

Luneth scrambled into position beside her, tensed and ready.

Palom floated forward with his staff swinging in the air beside him. "Really? We can't handle _one_ person?"

Lebreau took aim. "Give me a reason not to shoot her right now."

"Wait!" Firion struggled into a sitting position and held up a hand despite his eye squeezed shut. "I need her!"

"Really?" Arc didn't miss Lebreau's glance toward Yuj. "What for?"

Firion groaned in pain and fell back into Porom's waiting arms. "She's… my queen."

"Interesting thing for a queen to do." Lebreau crouched lower. "You know, I'm not much of a fan. Might let my finger slip here."

The woman phased out of the stop spell and slumped against Setzer, who propped her up and gestured for Luneth to back up. He did, though not without a confused grimace.

Arc only realized then that the woman's skin was broken up by the same lines that crisscrossed Baralai's and resembled Setzer's.

"Firion…" The woman let out a low breath and straightened again. Setzer's expression betrayed his disappointment. "Firion, are you okay?"

"Oh, _now_ she cares?" Yuj snarled. "That's suspicious."

"Firion." The woman's body moved in a dazed rhythm. "Damn it. I let Him get to me, I-…"

"Wait…" Refia stood, leaving Firion to Porom and Penelo. "Was… was she brainwashed?"

"Yes." Firion sucked in a breath.

"And, what?" Lebreau shot frantic looks about them. "She just got _better_?"

"I think she did," Baralai said slowly. He pulled himself to his feet and showed more energy than Arc had seen in him. "She's free of Him now, it appears."

"And why are you so sure?" asked Setzer in that oddly soft voice of his. No suspicion or fear crept in his voice. "Do you know what this is about?"

"Bhunivelze." Baralai took a step back. "We have a way to cast Him out, now. The influence, at least. The power will have to come later."

"You should trust him." Vaan straightened and sheathed his sword. "He knows this stuff even better than I do."

"How?" asked Firion.

Baralai swallowed hard and constricted his jaw. "I've had Him within me."

Hilda looked away.

" _What_?" Palom snapped his head to regard Baralai with disgust. "You _didn't tell us_? That's kind of critical information!"

Penelo grimaced. "It's not something we like to talk about."

"Still!" Refia huffed. "Would've been pretty good to know, given everything we've talked about! How can we work together if we're keeping secrets?"

"It's not a secret." Vaan folded his arms. "It's personal."

"What about him?" Setzer asked with a gesture toward Firion, who hefted himself to his feet with Penelo's help. "He's got marks just like you two."

"This was from something else." Firion winced. "A friend gone astray, not demonic possession."

"More importantly-" Baralai summoned white magic and it lit him in a soft glow- "we have a way to save more from this corruption. Something knocked Hilda out of it and we can use that."

"What, blunt force?" Luneth looked at Hilda. "I mean, I'm all about punching people, especially in their necks, but how is that supposed to break brainwashing?"

Crystal voices strengthened within him and Arc looked up to find Ingus walking their way, one arm wrapped around the torso of an unconscious blonde and freckled guy. Ingus announced, "I bring news!"

Lebreau and Yuj started at the sight, but their words were cut off by Luneth.

"Yeah, same here!" Luneth pointed to Hilda when Ingus got close enough. "We got attacked."

"As was I." Ingus dropped the man to the ground. "I came as soon as the Crystals called but was ambushed along the way."

Arc's blood ran cold. "I didn't hear."

"I noticed." Ingus stepped over the unconscious body. "Refia explained your distraction."

"Who's he?" asked Palom with a jab of his finger. "Another party-crasher?"

Setzer regarded the unconscious body with narrowed eyes. "An intriguing specimen, but not entirely remarkable."

Luneth kicked the body to roll him over. "He doesn't have those bad-guy scars. What's the big deal?"

Lebreau stepped forward. "He got kidnapped from our party."

Baralai touched a finger to his temple and turned away.

The man on the ground groaned and turned over. "Oi… where am I?"

"Among…" Firion hesitated. "What _are_ we?"

"Oh!" The man jumped to his feet, golden hair bouncing with the motion. "Oh, man! I hit the jackpot!"

Luneth tilted his head. "What are you-?"

The man pulled a gun free of its holster and shot Luneth in the leg.

Luneth screamed and hopped on the other foot. "Hey!"

Arc and Palom cast at the same time and the man froze with the power of black magic.

"I guess blunt force doesn't work." Vaan stuck his hands behind his head. "What else got Hilda's attention?"

Hilda squinted her eyes shut. "It's not… force."

Setzer took her shoulder. "You shouldn't push yourself right now."

"No." Hilda rolled her head one way, then the other. "It's hurting someone you care about and remembering who you are. Firion, I'm so sorry."

"Cool." Vaan looked about them. "Anyone here that knows the blonde man?

Glances about them, but silence. Arc chewed on his lip. "What are we going to do about holding onto someone that wants to kill us?"

"It's worse than that." Baralai approached the man frozen with time. "He's not going to kill anyone directly – he'll just latch onto them with an insane god's influence and send them to a slow and agonizing death."

"It seems to me-" Refia folded her arms- "that you've got a lot to tell us about."

Penelo winced. "If we're going to go over all that again, I think I'd prefer to go somewhere else."

"If we should face such a being," Ingus said, "I say we will require all the advantage we can muster. We now have two people who have seen into the mind of our enemy and we would do well to make use of that."

"Yeah." Porom chewed on her lip and finished reviving Cid. "We'll need help, alright."

Lebreau sighed. "If only Gladio and his sister were here – I though for sure they'd find him first."

* * *

Arc skimmed the contents of an ancient appendix that detailed the political advances and landmarks of what would eventually become Saronia. He didn't have much left to read in his collection from the library that he hadn't gone through during his short recovery period, but this gave him something to do while he and Palom watched the newcomer sleep in the safety of their hut.

… How much more of these people were they going to pick up before the week ran out?

A stir from the man and Arc resisted the urge to cast another stop spell – they already took away his gun and bound him with rope. What harm could he do?

"Hey." Palom leaned over the guy. "Looks like he's coming to."

Arc put the book down and looked at their visitor, who twitched his head back and forth like he was having bad dreams. Among his roughed and dirtied clothes, there was a black and white cloth tied to his forearm, patterned in shimmering, checkered squares. "… Maybe."

"You know…" Palom pressed his mouth into a fine line. "I'm, uh… I said some dumb things when I first got here." He looked away. "Sorry, I guess."

Arc blinked, stunned. "Oh, you mean in the library?"

"And… some things after that. But sure."

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

Palom snapped back around to see him. "Wait, what?"

"I-"

"No, I heard what you said." Palom set his floating staff away and took steps toward him. "Do you just _let_ people walk over you?"

"When I want to."

" _Don't_." Palom leaned down to look him in the eyes. "I don't care if you've made progress from where you were as a kid or whatever. That's not going to work if we want to get a mage city going. Porom, Leonora, and I know how to communicate, and you should, too."

"But-"

"It's kind of selfish not to speak up for yourself. It makes more work for the people that have to think about you, you know. I don't want to waste brain power in considering your vulnerabilities, alright? Just tell me what to do so I can stay focused on what really matters."

"… Okay."

"Okay? That's it?" Palom scoffed. "Geez, you're not even listening."

"I am."

"Then what are you going to do if Porom asks you to walk off a cliff, huh? Do you have any plan to push back?"

"I…" Arc thought back to helping Alus. "It's easier when I know it'll help others."

"I just said that'll be what you're doing."

"No, I mean that…" He paused. "I mean that I like to help others. If it helps you to be more outspoken, I can do that. Or I can take the brunt of your harsh criticism brought on by the stress of working with cosmic-sized issues like we do."

Palom opened his mouth to retort, but his face scrunched up in confusion. "Huh?"

"It's a pretty big task, trying to tie worlds together like you do. It's… kind of admirable. I just want to make sure you succeed."

"Oh."

Arc smiled. "I think you're going to make some people really angry in the future. It's kind unavoidable on this scale, really. When that time comes, you'll have someone to talk to without worrying about what they think."

Palom scowled. "That's stupid."

"Maybe a little."

"… But I appreciate the sentiment."

Arc tried to make himself busy with the following silence and focus on his book, but he couldn't focus on the words. "Hey, Palom?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that thing stuck to your head? And why is your hair streaked blue like that? And why-?"

"One at a time, geez." Palom floated into a sitting position and gestured toward his headpiece. "This is an infused enhancement. It collects a certain power from my surroundings that I can channel for stability."

Arc scrunched up his nose. "What would _that_ do?"

"You don't need to keep your magic contained sometimes?"

"Not really. I would just switch out of that power if it feels like too much."

"Because you have that weird dressing game you play."

"It's not a dressing game."

"As for the hair, it's a side effect of sticking a magical artifact to your head. Eyes change color sometimes, too, but you don't notice that so much."

Arc hummed. "Magic changes appearance?"

A knock on the doorframe and Refia leaned in. "Just got the confirmation from Alus on that building. They hope to have a full _tower_ within the next few decades."

Palom whistled. "That's more than I could have ever expected back home. Where did they get the funding?"

Refia shrugged. "I'm not a financier or anything like that. They're talking about portal research, travel recovery, and a bunch of other stuff. Sounds exciting, but I'm going to be an old lady when they finally pull it off. Cid wants them to look into communication with the dead while they're at it, but who knows."

"Unless the Crystals grant us extended life," Arc offered. "They can't say one way or the other, so it's not impossible."

"Maybe." Refia looked at their visitor. "Is he ready to talk?"

"Almost." Palom nudged the guy with his foot and the eyes fluttered. "You know what? Good enough. Let's bring in the inquisitors."

Refia hesitated. "Who's best for that?"

"Pole guy, possessed lady, and…" Palom scrunched up his nose. "Porom."

"Gotcha."

Arc looked at their newcomer, who looked back with red-rimmed and sunken eyes. Despite his ill appearance, he didn't show much alarm at being bound up like he was.

"How long have you been traveling?" Arc asked.

Palom whipped about to see him, but the visitor spoke before he could. "A while. I dunno, kinda lost track."

Palom didn't try to hide the suspicion in his voice. "What's your name?"

"Prompto." He fidgeted. "Could you maybe cut me some slack? It's not like I'm gonna try to kill you or anything. Oh, wait. I guess it kinda makes you wanna die, so close enough."

"Why _are_ you trying to do that?" Arc asked.

Baralai's voice came from the doorway, "Because Bhunivelze has plans."

Prompto seized up at the sight of him. "Hey, buddy! You lost Him?"

"A long time ago." Baralai came in and took a seat by the bed. Hilda and Porom followed shortly. "Sorry to see you like this, friend."

Arc cringed at the way Prompto's brow furrowed and his eyes glistened. Something about it didn't seem like an emotional reaction. "I'm…." Prompto trailed off. "I've still got everything I need."

Baralai frowned and Hilda whispered, "He's in a lot of pain."

"Is that what it's like?" Arc asked. "To travel possessed?"

"That's a small fraction of it." Baralai visibly forced a breath. "Mortal bodies aren't meant to house such a being and it… it shows. But Prompto is different because he comes from later, when all but the vessel are made as pawns."

"We should make him sleep." Hilda crossed her arms. "After questions."

Prompto wriggled in his bonds. "That was quite a nap, actually. I'm raring to go!"

"You're still not moving." Palom summoned some magic but didn't land it. "Not for quite some time."

"Sazh has left," Porom said. "For now, I'll say we listen to Baralai as spokesman."

Palom choked. " _Him_?"

Baralai groaned. "I'd rather not."

"There's not a better option at the moment." Hilda placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find another later. For now, take lead with Prompto. You two knew each other, anyway."

"Well." Baralai grimaced. "He knew me as a vessel – I'm not sure that's the same thing."

"Do you have questions or not?" Prompto slumped against the bed. "Getting kind of bored here."

Baralai took a deep breath. Let it out. Then set his jaw. "I haven't seen you since Gaia VII – where've you been since then?"

"Since then?" Prompto snorted and rolled over to face him. "Or before? I'm all confused by this timeline thing."

Arc chewed on his lip. The guy sounded strangely genuine – like he was catching up with an old friend. "Timeline thing?"

"Traveling doesn't tend to happen in a linear fashion," Baralai said without looking his way. "Lots of crossing paths out of order. But that doesn't matter. Prompto, what all have you done without me? Maybe we can find something coherent with the right reference."

"Man." Prompto rolled back to look at the ceiling. "I dunno, it all gets kinda jumbled. I was with my buddies near Insomnia… got snatched… God liked Eos' light, apparently. Met some cool people, like Faris."

"This is useless." Palom took up his staff again and left the hut.

Porom watched him go, eyes hard, but no one else reacted. Baralai inched closer to Prompto's bedside.

"Hey." Baralai put out a hand but withdrew it, emotions conflicting in his eyes. Arc wanted to look away, but curiosity got the better of him. "Prompto. I'm here, okay? You're still you. Remember that? You said something about chocobos and your friends. Noctis? Aranea? Remember them?"

Prompto seized up and his eyes went wild. Porom startled and Arc jumped away, but Baralai didn't flinch.

"I-!" Prompto thrashed his head back and forth. "Stop!"

Baralai put a hand on his shoulder. "It's painful, sometimes. I know. But you don't have to listen to Him."

Prompto stopped moving, but his chest heaved and his eyes wouldn't still. "Who else is there?"

"Myself. Your friends."

"My friends? Yuna? Scott? Zidane?"

Baralai's lips drew tight and Arc saw hesitation in him.

"Wait." Prompto's panic turned to confusion. "I think I was married to a guy once, but… Cindy. I like Iris. And… Yuna?" Prompto looked his way. "Who is Yuna?"

"He doesn't remember?" Porom asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Baralai heaved a deep breath. "It's hard to keep track of everything sometimes."

"Worse," Hilda said, "for those that come later. The more He takes, the more to mix in with the rest of it."

A twitch at the corner of Prompto's mouth, then his eyes. With a rough voice, he said, "But that doesn't matter. None of it does, right? Baralai, we have to save them. All of them. If we don't-…"

"Then they don't move on." Baralai leaned forward and dropped his head, hand still on Prompto's shoulder. "I remember."

Arc dropped his book and stood. "What are you saying?"

"Shh." Baralai didn't look up. "It's what Bhunivelze wants. Not me."

Prompto looked about them. "It's for the good of all us, you know."

Hilda held up a hand. "What he means to say is that possession instills the goal of fulfilling Bhunivelze's most immediate goal at the time of connection. We were both sent to take out you mages here to prevent getting in His way later down the road. Obviously, we're not going to do that."

Prompto looked up at her with betrayal in his eyes. "You'll condemn all of us? That's… not cool."

Hilda kneeled by him. "We'll break you out of this, I promise. To wherever the real you rests, hold on a little longer."

Baralai stood and stepped away. "It won't be worth it to salvage what's left of him at this rate."

"No." Hilda didn't look up. "Giving up means letting that demented beast win. He'll keep fighting like us. We can turn him back and get him home."

"And let him suffer?" Arc cringed at Baralai's harsh tone. "Hilda, his life as it stands is worse than death. It would be a mercy to let him go."

"What did I just say?" Hilda stood and looked him straight in the eyes. "We don't give up on people because that's what Bhunivelze does. Our identities may disappear and our bodies may break, but we're _people. Humans._ We don't give up and we don't give in."

"But at what cost." Baralai jabbed a finger Prompto's way. "He won't ever sleep again for the guilt gnawing at his conscience. He won't walk the same and his friends won't recognize him when he comes back! _No one_ deserves this!"

Weeping. Arc looked to the bed and found Prompto turned over and shaking with quiet sobs. Porom flicked her wrist and the man fell under sleep once more.

Hilda glanced their way, then back to Baralai. "Maybe you would have preferred a quick release, but we can't assume he wants the same. We can't assume he wouldn't regret it."

Baralai grit his teeth. "For now. But if it's a simple matter of conscience, I won't hesitate to take the shot."

Hilda studied him for a moment, but Arc didn't think her expression critical. "I'm sure you wouldn't," she said.

Baralai turned toward the door. "I need to think."

Silence settled. Porom and Arc exchanged knowing looks while Hilda screwed her eyes on the ground and placed her hands on her hips. What were they supposed to do in a situation like this?

The door opened, the creaking of it as loud as a thundercrack in the silence. Cid stepped through. "Hey lads, I'm gonna hold the fort for Sazh. Any of you know where I can find some cake?"

"I think the bakery down the streets has some," Porom said. "Have you gone there, yet?"

Hilda snapped her head up. "What were you all doing before I came?"

"Summoning a friend." Porom turned a quizzical look her way. "Why?"

"It's time to move on." Hilda gestured to Prompto. "It'll be a while before we can figure out what to do with him and we'd best resume as planned. What was your plan?"

Porom nodded to herself. "Our best bet at this point is to establish the base on this world instead of ours."

"Isn't that what was going to happen this whole time?" asked Arc. "That's what the others were told, anyway."

"No, it makes sense now." Porom shifted her weight. "I thought that maybe they'd all been sent here for the _portal_ to their destination, to Mysidia, but I can see now that they were sent here to help make the city itself. Maybe they won't be here to see it, but we need to plant some seeds."

Hilda straightened her back and lifted her chin. "We'd better get started, then."

Arc braced himself. Like Porom said, it didn't hurt as much this time, but it still knocked the wind from him the moment they connected. Power surged in his veins and for a moment stars filled the room.

Arc blinked and his vision returned to normal. Magic swirled about them in a gust of wind and within moments another dark portal formed. Like a rip in reality, Arc glimpsed something alien in its depths – he could swear mist poured from it, yet the room remained as clear as if they stood outside.

Time passed and eventually a woman with flowing green robes stepped through. She dropped to her knees the moment she cleared the portal and with her out, the magic vanished and the room returned to normal.

Arc heaved a breath and the impact of the spell hit him like an anvil – it felt like he'd just run for miles without ever moving.

"Leonora," said Palom with an uncharacteristic softness to his voice. It took Arc a moment to realize that was strain in his voice and not awe. Or maybe it was both.

The woman stumbled in place, but otherwise kept her posture. "What a nice place! Is this going to be our mage tower?" Her voice rang quiet but clear, like glass chimes in a library.

"Maybe this building, maybe another." Arc gestured. "But you've come to the right place."

Leonora offered him a stunning smile back – her golden hair was tinged pink at the edges and an ornate piece held back one side of her hair. "Thank you for having me."

Porom stepped forward. "The installation went well, then?"

"Of course!" She touched the jewelry on her head. "Good as new! Well, technically better, I guess. I haven't had time to try it out."

Palom approached slower. "They screwed up."

"They-…" Leonora swallowed and looked away. "Something went wrong."

Palom touched her chin and she turned her head to show the ornament. Arc made out the tiniest lines of red underneath. "Does it hurt?"

"A little." She didn't look his way. "But I can start immediately."

Porom hummed low. "Is that a good idea?"

"If she wants to." Palom released Leonora and turned away, posture stiff. "Let her decide."

"I'll be fine." Leonora looked between them. "But forget about me! Look at these new people!"

Arc and Refia exchanged a look, but Ingus didn't react beyond a slightly-raised eyebrow. Luneth piped up, "We're the Warriors of Light!"

"Oh, good!" Leonora put her sleeved hands together. "I've never worked with a Warrior of Light before!"

Arc said, "It's not so special as all that."

"Not to you, maybe." Refia folded her arms.

Ingus stepped forward and offered his hand. "Welcome to Saronia."

* * *

Dajh waited in the quiet of his and Daddy's room, wrapped in blankets and eyes closed against the darkness. He breathed in a rhythmic pattern akin to snoring, but he kept himself awake by biting down on his cheek just enough to make it uncomfortable.

Daddy's breath eventually turned to quiet snores, but Dajh kept himself from getting up just yet. He shifted to face Daddy and risked blinking his eyes open. Daddy's were closed.

He waited longer. Best be safe.

After what he could swear was an eternity, he swallowed and slowly removed his blankets. He'd left his clothes in the other room and he was careful to put them on as gently and quietly as he could. Every clink of a buckle or creak of leather sounded as loud as a bullhorn, but he heard no response from their room.

Eventually, he got to securing his pouch with food he'd gathered earlier that should get him through his journey. Some nuts and berries were all he should need.

Once certain he had everything, Dajh peered through the dark home to give it one last look before he tiptoed toward the door.

The dark of night provided a cold, enveloping blanket for Dajh when he stepped outside. It took moments for his eyes to adjust, and the cloudless sky provided no inhibitions to the moon's soft glow.

Dajh closed the door as slowly and quietly as he could, then stepped away from the door, one foot at a time. He didn't think Daddy heard, but the idea that he might be wrong left a pit in his stomach the size of Cocoon.

Cocoon.

Dajh swallowed the homesickness that washed over him and turned away from the house he'd known all this life.

And came face to face with a blonde-haired girl with a sunny smile and branching scars across her face. "Hi!"

Dajh clamped a hand over her mouth and looked behind him. "Shh!"

"Mmph." The girl looked at him, unreactive to his silencing her. Something about her skin felt… strange under his. Like it was a little too rough. "Mhumafph?"

"Shh! Shh!" Dajh pulled her a ways off before removing his hand. "I'm running away!"

"With such a small pack?" She gestured to the pouch on his belt. "Not sure how that'll survive a trip through the cosmos."

"It's not supposed to-" Dajh groaned and led her further down the road. "What are you here for?"

"To help you run away!" The girl skipped along beside him and the moon illuminated her image in ghostly hues. "I'm Krile – nice to meet you!"

He bit his lip. "Dajh."

"Yeah, I know." Krile shot him a coy look. "I've found out a lot of things. You want to go to Valhalla, right? And reunite with your friends?"

Dajh nodded.

"Perfect. I know exactly how to do that."

"Really?" Dajh couldn't mask his disbelief. "You know how to move between worlds?"

"It's not worlds, silly." Krile kept skipping. "It's a network. And Valhalla's not in that network anyway, so we need to break a few rules if you want that. Trust me – I know what I'm doing."

"Okay." Dajh took a breath to steady his beating heart – this was his first time seeking out adventure instead of waiting for it to get to him first. "Lead the way, then."

Krile cheered and ran on ahead. Dajh chased after.


End file.
